Black Butterfly Rising
by staceleo
Summary: Death isn't always an ending, but God help you when it is just the beginning. Inspired by ghosts, Twin Peaks and all things that go bump in the night.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: The last chapter of Wet Sands is next week, so I decided to start something new. It combines my love of spooky things, **_**Twin Peaks**_** and ghosts. I hope you in enjoy this story, but I do stray from canon.**

**A big thank you to the amazing Alice's White Rabbit for correcting my mistakes and being a wonderful friend!**

**Thank you for reading. I appreciate it greatly.**

Black Butterfly Rising

Chapter 1

You never forget seeing a dead body, especially one that is hanging from the rafters of your bedroom with their legs dangling in your face. A beautiful face, now bloated and devoid of any emotions, staring at you as screams change into tearful sobs. Those screams, the sobs are all yours.

I can see the note pinned to your sweater. The letters are twisty and swirly like I always remembered. They seem bright and cheerful in contrast to the angry, accusing words written on the ripped-out note paper that are all directed at me.

"You know how to turn that frown upside down?" It was that boy again with his wild hair and dancing moss eyes. The guidance counselor can't call me crazy with this loon in the group.

Ignorance is bliss, so I shall blissfully ignore the nut.

I pulled my legs up on the hard, plastic chair to hug my knees. Uncomfortable chairs must be Esme Murdock's way to get us to spill out our pain. The more we squirm on the seats means an increased likelihood of spilling our guts. It must be her wicked plan to increase our test scores before they have to submit them to the state to increase funding. That woman was an evil mastermind. She must have gotten her doctorate by using voodoo.

The boy sat next to me, much to my chagrin. I wondered if he stuck his finger in an electric socket to get those locks so out of control. I had seen the guy around. He seemed to be everywhere. He was probably still curious about the new girl, because in this town you leave never come back. No one in their right mind would move to this depressed little town after the mill closed several years back. I had only been at this school six months and really only hung out in one circle. My dead friend had embraced me into her world the first day. She took pity on the abandoned girl, dropped off to live with her distant father. Now, over a stupid argument, she had abandoned me too.

He stared at me until I hid my head in my arms.

"Do you want me to give you seven minutes in heaven in the janitor's closet? Dr. Murdock won't be here until eleven."

_"Bella, just try for me!"_

The husky timber of her voice had been haunting me since that night. It was almost like she was whispering in my ear like she used to do in Biology. Her seat was directly behind mine, but she would push herself almost entirely on the table in front of her to quietly regal me with the gossip that was provided by our peers. Her fingers gripped my shoulder tightly, as if to keep me near her forever.

The idea of her being prepared for her funeral at this moment on a steel table made me feel like I needed to vomit all over the burnished tan of the wood floors of the stage. Her once vibrant skin was probably being caked with make-up to cover her new pasty complexion by Mr. Cheney as his wife prepared to color my friend's face with the red lipstick that she hated.

Their son, Ben, snuck me into the mortuary right after I moved to town to see the body of old Mr. Waylon. He had drowned in the pond behind his shack on the edge of the woods. The man's face was bloated, and his eyes bulged out of his head. It was the most horrible thing I had ever seen before that night I found her hanging with the noose wrapped tight. The thought of her now lying where Mr. Waylon had once been made me cringe.

My eyes tightened, willing her voice and the memories of her swinging body to disappear. I opened them slowly to observe the living boy next to me. He was all bravado and misplaced ego. I couldn't contain the snort that erupted. "How about a knuckle sandwich?"

"Knuckle sandwich? Girl, you have an old soul." The boy stretched out his long legs clad in dark denim. He was all limbs. "I can help you unwind. I have magical fingers."

He waved them in my face, and I knocked them away.

"Are you a sex addict or just a deranged moron?" I questioned. He was handsome but the most annoying creature.

"A little bit of both. It's a deadly combination." His smirk would be infectious if I didn't already hate him so much.

I turned away and took in the stage where the plastic folding chairs we would sit on were placed in a circle. The hot stage lights beat down on my face making me feel sweaty. It felt like we were in a police station getting ready to be interrogated by the detective instead of in Dr. Murdock's high school therapy session. The bright lighting of the stage contrasted with the darkness of the audience seating. The thought of going down there after this mockery of a bonding session made me shiver.

Sure this was a public school, but surely, they could afford proper lighting.

"Let's get out of here," he suggested. The boy's green eyes danced with the idea. "I have a car, and Esme will just be saying stupid shit about feelings. The woman makes my ears bleed."

"Don't you have any tact? She's faculty here." I didn't care about the guidance counselor actually, but the guy was a jerk.

He gave a sharp laugh. "Old Esme's fucking my uncle, little girl. I think I know her pretty well. I'm Edward Cullen."

"I'm not interested. Did you know her?"

"The dead girl? Nope." I watched as he started chewing on his nails. It was disgusting, but his fingers were so long and graceful. They were mesmerizing. Of course, this Edward creep noticed. "You looking at my fingers again, pretty? I know the perfect place for me to stick—"

_You're a dirty whore! _It was her voice again. I whipped my head around. It sounded like she was really in the room and not a figment of my imagination.

Edward looked at me quizzically. "Are you all right?"

I ignored his question.

"Why are you here? This meeting of the minds is about her."

"Actually, Esme decided to combine the fuck-up group with the mourners," he pointed out. "I forgot to add that Esme is also lazy. Kill two birds and all that. Which is oddly appropriate given the topic of this—"

"Shut up!" I snapped.

_That's my firecracker, _her voice cooed. I was going insane.

"Stop!" I clutched my head.

"Bells, it's okay." A pair of large hands gently rubbed my hair. I looked up to see Emmett McCarty kneeling down in front of me with his kind blue eyes. "I feel that way too."

I flung myself in his arms. Emmett was the captain of the football team and the kind of living teddy bear that one could easily snuggle. I felt his dark curls in my fingertips. They were soothing to stroke. "I know, Em. Sit with me."

Edward was glaring at us. He was probably saddened that the quickie he imagined behind the curtains wasn't going to happen.

Emmett glanced around the room. "She wasn't friends with half of these people."

The stage was now filling up with our fellow students. Some we knew were close to our fallen friend. Mike and Lauren clung to each other with red-rimmed eyes. Our friend Jane clutched her bag tightly to her chest and talked quietly to herself as Jessica followed her in with a sour expression. The funeral was on Saturday, but the way everyone was acting today, it was going to be a long time coming for the mourning to subside a bit.

Alice Brandon, with her black baby doll dress that fit perfectly the spiky hair she created with use of a pair of rusty scissors, danced in followed by her constant companion, Jasper Whitlock, whose yellow curls peeked out of the knitted cap perched on his head. They plopped down across from us; Alice promptly blew me a kiss. I didn't want to admit it, but I found that pair intriguing.

"Dr. Murdock decided to combine her therapy groups," I explained in a nicer way than Edward had told me. "I thought you weren't coming today."

Emmett shrugged. "I wasn't. Dad is afraid I won't be able to concentrate on my game if I can't get over things. She just died and all that asshole cares about are some stupid NFL dreams he has for me. I hate him. Maybe he's right. The fucking nightmares every night are killing me. I can't sleep, and I don't understand why she left me."

I held his hand. One thoughtless decision left so much pain.

"Because you're a pussy," Edward chimed in and scooted his chair closer to me. His thigh rested against mine. The heat from his body coursed through me. "Daddy wants you to cry, and you go running with your tail between your legs."

"Edward!" I yelled. He was a jerk.

Emmett reached across me and grabbed Edward by his dirty, ripped _Nirvana _tee-shirt. "I can break you, shithead!"

"Boys! We are here to heal!" A voice trilled.

Esme Murdock jogged into the middle of the circle carrying an easel covered with a sheet. She put it down and spun around, making her patchwork skirt swirl around her as she took all of us in. Dr. Murdock was still quite the hippie with her peasant shirt and jangling bracelets that made such a racket that they were giving me a headache.

"Children, today is not a day to mourn. Instead, I think this is a chance to celebrate life and work on the issues that stop us from being our best possible selves," she announced and flung off the sheet.

The face before me was the beautiful one I wished to remember and not the lifeless one that was haunting my dreams. Blonde waves framing a heart shaped face and glacier blue eyes that made one feel as if you were drowning. She was lovely, and the smile on her primrose-colored lips was full of cheer. Her signature gold butterfly necklace was, as always, proudly resting between her breasts. It was a close-up picture of her before going to Homecoming the year before. I had seen it on the mantle of her parents' home in a place of honor. It was heartbreaking.

"Children, today we celebrate the life of Rosalie Hale."

XXXXXX

"She looks like Laura Palmer," Alice pointed out. Jasper somehow maneuvered his head into her lap with his body hanging awkwardly off his chair. I watched as she stroked his forehead and proceeded to remove the diamond stud in his ear without him noticing. I had learned a few minutes earlier that Alice was a kleptomaniac.

Actually, I had learned many things about my fellow students that day. Jasper liked to take drugs as if they were candy. Little Bree, who wore oversized fisherman sweaters, was a glue sniffer. Jane, who I had thought I knew, admitted to liking internet porn. It was as if this impromptu gathering was where everyone went to verbally vomit out all of their secrets. It was unnerving.

"Who's Laura Palmer, freak?" Jessica asked with a sneer. I was never very close to Jessica. She was always trying to be perfect. Even today, she looked like the perfect student with her button-down shirt looking perfectly starched and not a strand of her auburn hair out of place.

"A character on some old show called _Twin Peaks_. I found it on Netflix," Alice explained. "She was a dead body too."

"Shut your mouth!" Jessica screamed.

Alice started to giggle. "Laura was wrapped in plastic. Hey, Isabella Swan, was that how you found Rosie? Was she looking all pretty in plastic? I heard she was swinging around like a piñata. Sexual hijinks? You found her, right? Give us the dirty details."

The vision of the last time I saw her came flooding back. Her face. . .

Jasper started chuckling as I jumped up and rushed off the stage into the wings and started hyperventilating.

_Love me, darling. Love me, dear_, the memory of her sang. She would brush those long locks of hers and sing that song while she looked in her mirror. I felt as if she was actually watching me.

There was an icy feeling on the back of my neck, and I shuddered. It was like ice cubes were kissing me on the back of my neck.

_Love me, darling. Love me, dear._

That cold feeling was replaced as two warm hands were placed on my shoulders. I jumped and spun around to face emerald green eyes.

He moved those hands to my face. "You okay?"

"We need to get back." I tried to move away, but his grip was tight.

Edward Cullen kissed me.

His warm lips momentarily made me forget the memories of Rosalie. He tasted like cinnamon and bad intentions that could quickly become good if I could continue to forget. He's arms moved to embrace me, and his hands caressed my lower back.

_Love me, darling. Love me, dear_, _bitch!_ Rosalie's voice screeched in my head.

I pushed Edward away. "What the hell was that? You don't kiss people you don't know!"

"I know you, sweetheart. I can promise you that," he announced cryptically. "I was just trying to help you."

He took my arm and I struggled to get away. "Go away!"

Edward wouldn't let go and instead held my arm tighter. His face paled. "You're bleeding."

"What?"

I looked down and the arm of my shirt was soaked in blood. Slowly, I pulled back my sleeve and carved into my skin was a bloody butterfly.

"Did you do that? You're a cutter?" He pulled off his shirt and wrapped it tightly around the wound.

"No," I whispered. It had just appeared and only now had it begun throbbing painfully.

He didn't look as if he believed me, and as Edward opened his mouth to speak, there were screams and a loud crash.

We ran back onto the stage and found Mike Newton pinned under a fallen stage light. At that moment, I was certain of only one thing. We were all cursed.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you all for reading!**

**Special thanks to some very special friends. Alice's White Rabbit for helping me correct my errors in this story. She's so kind and lovely. **

**Another big thanks goes to the amazing Ragg Dolly for helping me for coming up with the title to this story. Her talent amazes me.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

It was the perfect day for a funeral. The sky was gray, the clouds hid the sun, and there were light flurries of snow falling to the hard ground. It was surprising they were even able to dig the hole that Rosalie's body would be resting in until her bones became dust, but there it was. The large mound of dirt was piled off to the side nearby, which would soon be covering the shiny, black casket covered in pale pink roses. She hated pale pink, but the darker the red made her ecstatic.

My hands were frozen even in my woolen gloves. I had met her in the last of the balmy days of summer and saying goodbye in the frigid air of winter. It was fitting somehow.

"Honey, would you rather stand with your friends?" My father wrapped his warm arm around my shoulders when he noticed my slight shivering. "You're freezing! Why don't you sit in the squad car and get warm?"

"I'm fine," I whispered looking into Charlie's solemn eyes. I looked like him with our chocolate eyes and penchant of rarely smiling. He was the first one I called when I found Rosalie's body. Immediately, he sent his deputies to investigate, and instead, he concentrated on trying to comfort me in my despair. I took in my father's appearance. I hadn't really registered it until now. "You look nice in your suit."

I moved closer to him as a blast of cold wind hit us. Dad's navy pea coat giving us a small amount of protection from the chill.

I had expected him to wear his tan uniform that indicated he was the head of Fork's finest officers, not his one good suit, his mustache neatly trimmed. When I first met my father, I thought the imposing man only owned his uniform, a plaid shirt collection, worn jeans, and a pair of sweatpants he paired with undershirts. At first, I could only see the façade that he showed to the world. A gruff, rugged exterior, but I was thrilled to see the inside was soft and kind. It took a long time for me to discover this, but what could one expect from me? I was thrust upon a stranger after my mother died a month before I arrived in Forks. It seemed that death would be my constant companion for the time being.

"You want to come over and give your condolences to Rosie's parents with me?" My father asked. I looked over to where Lillian and Hudson Hale were weeping over their daughter's casket. The only thing that indicated that they were in mourning were their wet and bloodshot eyes. The bank president and his wife were still immaculate in their black dress coats with not a hair out of place.

"They hate me," I admitted. Every interaction I had with them since Rosalie's passing was glossed over with faux affection, but the bitterness and blame was bubbling under the surface. "I'm surprised they didn't kick me out of the memorial service."

"Oh, baby—" My father was at a loss for words and kissed me on the top of my head. "We can stay here. I'm not leaving you."

"I can wait with her, Chief Swan," Angela Webber, with her soft voice, chimed in. Her green eyes were wide behind her thick, dark glasses. The black dress she wore hung off her body awkwardly. It was several sizes too big. The middle child of several sisters, hand-me-downs were a staple of Angela's wardrobe, but she never showed any embarrassment at the fact. There was a stoic strength to the girl that I found inspiring but somewhat intimidating.

I had met her soon after Rosalie took me under her gilded wings. It was easy to be around the minister's daughter, and I could imagine a friendship between the three of us. Rosalie would bring the fun and Angela the sensibility. Unfortunately, Rosalie was not impressed by Angela, and I was pulled away from any blossoming friendship. That was how it was with Rosalie. You followed her whims in a daze, just following blindly. Now that she was gone, it felt like I was waking up from some dream. My time in her version of Wonderland was now over.

"Bella, why aren't you with Emmett and your other friends?" She inquired, looking over to where Jessica was glaring at us as she clutched her boyfriend Demetri's arm. Her red nails were like talons as they gripped him. The rest of the group huddled together and whispered in hushed tones. Emmett looked over to glance at us with a forlorn expression. Our friendship, on his end, had faded away after that fateful day on the stage. It was confusing and heartbreaking to have all the friends you believed were true turn their backs on you.

Michael Newton was the only missing friend from the group this day. At last report from my dad, my classmate was still hovering between life and death in the local hospital.

"I guess they don't want me around anymore without Rose. They probably blame me for her death." I rubbed my eyes sadly.

"You know good and well that you had nothing to do with her death." She took my hand. "I'll be your friend."

Maybe Angela's mind would change if she saw the note that Rosalie left. My beautiful friend blamed me for plenty, but it wasn't clear what exactly what the crimes were I committed.

"Why would you want to be my friend? Rosalie was so—"

"Rosalie didn't like me. I always knew that. You aren't Rosalie, and I think you're a good person. I had watched for years how Rosalie drew people in with the sheer will of her magnetism. It was almost unnatural." Angela looked at her father dressed in his clerical robes and passing out bibles to the congregation that had gathered. "My father was always enraptured with her. He called her an angel and said her voice in the choir would lead us all into heaven. So you see, Bella, you weren't the only one taken in by her."

The look on Angela's face was one of contemplation as she regarded her father, who was now gazing at a large school picture of Rosalie that stood next to the casket. She looked every bit the good school girl, that butterfly necklace gleaming from the top of her crimson sweater. I asked quietly, "What are you thinking, Angela?"

"Just how the pieces are coming together. We should grab seats."

I followed her, willingly, to sit in the back row. Pastor Webber began to drone on about the life of my fallen friend and sing her praises. I felt as if I was being watched. I turned around slowly to see Edward Cullen leaning against a tree. An unlit cigarette hung from his lips looking like an old poster of James Dean that my mother used to own.

"Bella, your arm's wet." Angela pointed to my sleeve. A patch of wetness was growing over the spot where I had bandaged my mysterious wound. I pulled off my mitten and ran my hand over the liquid. My fingers were covered in blood. She noticed and whispered, "Oh God, Bella, you need to get a bandage."

I looked up at the pink roses as they slowly turned a rusty red, as if my blood was seeping onto them. Not one person noticed. I tried to stifle a scream.

Jumping up and ignoring the rest of the people at the funeral, who were gaping at me, I headed to the trees where Edward Cullen had been standing. I had no clue why I ran that way, but in my distress, I was like a magnet being pulled in that direction.

He had vanished, and all that was left was his cigarette on the ground. The cold filled me to my very core.

XXXXXX

The cafeteria was buzzing a few days later. There would be another funeral. Michael Newton was dead. His demise wasn't due to the injuries he sustained from the light but a brain aneurism.

I stuck my tray down next to Angela and sat down, looking at the contents in disgust. I poked my soggy pizza with my fork. "They call this lunch?"

"That's why I bring the always reliable peanut butter and jelly. It's always a winner." Angela took a large bite right in front of my face.

Her humor was surprisingly wicked. It was a great revelation.

Eric Yorkie sat down across from us and was followed closely by Tyler Lafayette. They were both chess players and the only two minorities in school. Eric's parents moved here from Japan when he was young, while Tyler's dark skin made him stand out from the lily-white skin of his classmates. In a small town like this, the boys were instantly targets. However, they were much like Angela and were strong in the face of the unfair high school hierarchy. If I needed new friends, then they were the perfect ones to align myself with.

"Y'all going to Newton's funeral?" Eric questioned as he fiddled with his camera. It was apparent he was trying to ignore the sloppy joe in front of him. As photography editor of the newspaper, everyone wanted him to take their picture and were more than happy to mock him for it afterward. "After that ass stuffed my head in the toilet, I think I'll pass. Sorry, Bella."

"Don't worry about it. I completely understand."

It was true, Mike was a complete creep. Yet somehow, I was completely blind to it until now. I don't think I liked the girl I was before. By being silent, I was just as bad as Mike. I continued quietly, "I should have stopped him."

"It's fine, Bella. We're all friends now, and that's the important thing." Angela took my hand and gave it a squeeze.

I looked over at the table where I used to enjoy lunch everyday with Rosalie. Jessica was now holding court, and the group was talking loudly about Mike's death. Another one of their own and they were a mess. Lauren and Jane clung to each other, weeping. The boys were more stoic in their grief. Garrett Mitchell glanced over at me with a sad smile.

Once upon a time, we had the possibility of being something more. I found him beautiful, with all-American good looks, and had daydreams of wearing his letterman jacket. It was all over now, and I watched as Emmett shoved him in his shoulder, making my crush turn away from me with a shrug.

Tyler sighed and made me shake off my Garrett-induced haze. "Uncle Laurent says there has been some mighty bad mojo around here for a long time. It's just coming to a head."

Tyler's uncle was the topic of speculation around these parts for some time according to my father. It was his opinion that the town was full of bigots that used their racism concerning the Louisiana transplant to accuse him of witchcraft. My father was sure the man's only sin was occasionally selling moonshine to tourists without a license.. The liquor, which supposedly was mighty tasty, was a huge hit according to the whispers of my classmates.

"Laurent always thinks mojo is naughty around these parts." Edward jumped into our conversation as he sat next to me to steal my pizza. "Would you like to know something else that's naughty, Bella Swan?"

"If you're about to say the answer is your penis, I will cram that pizza down your throat and make you choke on it." I pulled my pizza from his hands as Angela gasped at my words.

"Oh, baby, isn't a hanging and being smooshed by theater lighting enough horrible deaths for the month of January? Though, if you like things to choke on—"

My fingers gripped the table, and I willed myself not to punch him. I just knew he was going to say his penis.

"What are you doing here, Edward?" Tyler interrupted him with narrowed eyes. I gave him a grateful smile. "Shouldn't you be outside with Jacob and Riley? I thought you guys were too cool for the cafeteria."

"I am, but I wanted to check on Bella and, more importantly, see if your uncle needed some more pharmaceuticals?" His smile was directed right at me. It was part seductive and part sneaky like a snake. It shouldn't have been a surprise to me that Cullen was a drug dealer.

Tyler's mood didn't improve in the slightest. "I'm not involved in any of that stuff. Go see him yourself."

Edward shrugged and stood with his hand outstretched toward me. "Come take a little walk with me, Miss Swan."

"I'm eating lunch. No, thank you."

I angled my body toward Angela as Edward leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Does Daddy know that baby girl has a savage-looking butterfly carved into her arm?"

The gleam in his eye made it apparent that he would spill my secret in a second.

Quickly, I stood up and grabbed my backpack. I spat at him. "Fine! Take my tray and throw it away. Angela, if I disappear, he did it."

Edward jauntily threw away my trash and followed me out into the hallway. "It's nice to see my fellow students care about not litter—"

I pushed him against a locker, my hands gripping his shirt. Our faces were so close; we were practically in a lover's embrace. "What the hell is your deal? Don't try to blackmail me again, or I will end you!"

I was talking bravely but had no follow-through to my tough talk. All I could think of was sticking worms down his pants, and I was sure he would find that highly unthreatening.

"This is so hot," he said, as he licked his lips slowly. It would have been highly sexual, if this boy didn't drive me crazy. "Are you going to kiss me now?"

I dropped his shirt and moved back slowly. "No. I do want some answers. Why are you following me, and the kiss—"

"Was amazing?"

I made fists. "It was inappropriate, Edward!"

He gazed into my eyes and whatever he found there made his face soften. "I wanted to kiss you since the day you first crossed the parking lot after getting out of your rust-bucket truck. The more blondie talked about you at the Wolf Den, the more I worried about you."

His words left more questions than answers.

"Blondie?"

"Rosalie Hale. That was one crazy lady you were running around with," he stated as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and stuck one into his mouth.

My mind was still reeling at the possibility that Rosalie went into that bar which stood right outside of town. It had the reputation of being the go-to establishment for all types of sin. Sex, drugs, and mutilation were the rumors that were whispered by the God-fearing members of the town.

I pulled the stick from his mouth and unthinkingly reprimanded him, "We're in school. You know these things will kill you."

I broke it in half and stuck it into a nearby trash can as I heard him reply, "I'm more concerned that you are going to be the end of me."

Turning slowly, I said quietly, "She wouldn't go to a place like that."

"Rosalie was not who you thought she was. Come with me and see for yourself. If you know the truth, you can move on." He placed his hand on my neck and made gentle circles with the pads of his fingers. "Trust me."

The frightening fact was there was not one person I could trust, most definitely not the handsome boy whose touch was electrifying.

XXXXXX

Later that night, I sat on my bed and tried to imagine Rosalie at the Wolf Den. The seedy inhabitants looking at her with their devious eyes. The thought was chilling.

My mind began to toy with the idea of taking Edward up on his offer. That way, I could prove he was wrong.

It was true that I found Edward attractive. A small part of me wanted to see him again for that reason. This wasn't, however, a romantic movie where the obnoxious, bad boy becomes the hero. I needed to figure out what was happening for myself and not let a schoolgirl crush get in the way. I was way too smart to fall into that trap.

_My Bella. Always, my Bella._

Her voice was a constant reminder that I was the one to blame. My friendship wasn't strong enough to keep her alive.

_Bella, first Garrett and now that dirty Cullen? Mine!_

I whipped my head around the room. It was as if she was next to me, her voice was so loud and clear. Its anger filled the room.

_Bella, oh, Bella._

I clutched my head, willing the sounds to stop, as it felt as if tiny pieces of ice were kissing my skin.

_Never tell me no!_

A sharp pain radiated from my butterfly carving, and it began to bleed again as the room filled with the smell of copper. I ran to my bathroom to rinse away the blood and put on a new bandage. I was too frightened to let a doctor see it and try to have to explain. They would think I was insane. The cool water coming from the faucet barely soothed it. There was a scratching noise coming from the bathroom mirror that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. I slowly looked up.

A message was written there in blood. _Did you miss me?_


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you all for reading!**

**Alice's White Rabbit fixed this up and made it readable. I'm so lucky to have such a smart and wonderful friend!**

**Enjoy the show.**

Chapter 3

Gym was a sick purgatory.

The strong dominating over the weak was once again apparent as I watched red balls fly through the air. The hard bleachers caused me to shift uncomfortably. I had told the gym teacher that I felt ill. It wasn't a lie thanks to the mixture of sweat and cleaning solution. The noxious odor made me feel queasy. My stomach was flipping and flopping like a fish dying on the shore.

Of course, the first thing to come to mind was a dying fish. It was an image I could envision clearly. Death would not leave me the hell alone. One summer, when I was young and visiting my father, he brought home a large, scratched up, yellow cooler. It was filled with fish after a long day on Billy Black's fishing boat. The smell permeated through the kitchen with its mix of salt and scales. I had considered running off to my bedroom filled with half-naked Barbies and Hello Kitty coloring books to escape from the stench, but I let the curiosity of seeing fish win out.

I was seven and loved visiting the aquarium with my mother. The brightly colored fish and the mysteries of the sea had an incredible draw for me in my youth. I dreamed of being a mermaid because, at seven, it was appropriate to dream such lovely things. I think I imagined that my father would put them in a tank for my enjoyment; instead, Dad pulled out a flopping fish and dropped it onto the cutting board.

I chewed on the end of my pigtail nervously as I watched the fish try to escape my father's grasp. Its eyes bulged even more out of its fishy head while its large mouth appeared to be silently screaming.

My father grabbed a butcher knife from nearby, and with a mighty whack, the fish's head was severed from his body. My cries were deafening.

The vision of the fish disappeared from my mind as a ball hit the bleacher with a clanging sound. Dodgeball is a barbaric example of the high school hierarchy. It was if the gym teacher, Ms. Cora, used dodgeball to give herself some malicious enjoyment to get herself through the everyday doldrums of teaching teenagers. I thought I saw her icy blue eyes dancing as she watched Jessica hit poor Angela in the forehead with one of the balls. My new friend stumbled backward and landed flat on her back.

I started to stand up from the bleachers to help her when I was pulled backward. My whipped my head around to yell but went mute as I stared at Edward's smirking face.

"You aren't playing?" He looked me up and down. "I was hoping to see you skipping around in those shorts, cutie."

"I don't skip," I hissed.

He gave a snort, staring at my chest. "That's an unfortunate development, Bella Swan. I would love to see your bounce."

"You're an ass," I stated. Giving him a push, I stood. "I need to help Angie."

"I think Charlie Chan has her covered," he stated, pointing to where Eric was helping Angela stand. Our teacher was ignoring them both, instead helping Jessica with her aim.

I continued to walk down the bleachers. "You might possibly be the worst person in the world. Eric is Japanese, by the way, asshole. If you have to be an idiotic racist at least get your nationalities correct."

"Oh, come on! I was just joking!" He stumbled down the seats in an attempt to catch up with me. "Yorkie is an okay guy! Wait up!"

"Miss Swan, where are you going?" Ms. Cora snapped. She was a runner in college, I had heard through the high school grapevine. Her muscles were lean and taut. I saw Emmett and some of his buddies giving her appraising looks at the tight tank top she wore. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the rumors about her and a basketball player named James having a relationship were true. The looks he was giving her were bordering on obscene.

I stopped and turned slowly toward the teacher. "I need to throw up. Would you like me to do it here on the floor?"

Ms. Cora's face blanched as she watched me put my hand over my mouth. "Go ahead to the locker room. Class will be over soon anyway."

I made my escape to the locker room and sat on one of the benches in front of the rusty, gray lockers covered in graffiti that spanned the years. I gazed at the old phone numbers looking for a good time, badly drawn sexual acts, and scratched in names of students from the past. I had thought I saw them all until I noticed one more scrawled image in the corner. In Rosalie's twirly handwriting was her name, a heart, and a letter that was unintelligible. My eyes widened as a memory returned.

_"__Emmett wants to do it,__" __Rosalie said nonchalantly. She flipped her wet hair into a towel and sat next to me. Always comfortable in her own skin, she was clad only in her underwear. I, in contrast, was trying to find a creative way to get redressed without dropping my towel. My shirt was halfway over my head as I attempted to keep my towel covering me._

_I gasped, pulling off the shirt that was perched on my head like a hat. __"__Do you think you__'__re ready for that?__"_

_Thoughts of my mother filled my head with the warnings she gave me regarding sex. Before she died, Mom was a big proponent of waiting until you established who you were as a person and following your dreams. True love would always wait for the perfect time. I always wondered, though, if my mother had waited for true love to find her, but she died before it came to her. Perhaps it would be better if she took chances to search for it herself and take a risk._

_"__It__'__s just fucking, Bella,__"__ Rosalie __cooed this to me and patted my bare knee. __"__It will be practice for when I can finally make love to the right one. I want it to be perfect!__"_

_She gave me a radiant smile and pulled my towel off me. Holding it in front of me like a shield, Rosalie explained, __"__Let me keep you covered, Bells. Your boobs are smoking, sweetie.__"_

_"__Stop it, Rose!__" __I felt my face heat up as my friend appraised me. _

_She kept grinning and teased, __"__That blush is a keeper, Swan!__"_

_"__Shut up!__"__I pulled on my shirt quickly. I saw Rosalie looking at the lockers with a faraway look, all her mirth had vanished. __"__Hey, Rose__—"_

_"__Yeah?__"_

_"__Don__'__t just have sex with Emmett. It should be with somebody special.__" __I just wanted the best for my friend. _

_Rosalie dropped the towel she held and wrapped me in a hug. __"__It will work out, Bella; it always does for me.__"_

Except that it didn't work out for Rosalie. She died furious at me for a reason I still was trying to uncover. I wondered if this mysterious letter on the locker, that she cared enough about to express her love, was the reason she killed herself.

All of a sudden, I felt disgusting and just needed to get clean. I stripped off my shirt to headed to the showers.

"God, you are fucking beautiful," Edward stated, as he regarded me from the doorway.

I let out a scream and pulled my shirt in front of me. "Get out! You aren't allowed in here!"

"I'm just checking on you! I wanted to apologize—"

"You need to leave! Now!" I glared at him. "I need a shower!"

His smirk returned in an instant. "Need me to wash your back?"

"I do not want to have a shower with you, now or ever!"

Edward stalked over to me like a lion after a skittish baby gazelle. He looked like he wanted to eat me up, his eyes growing dark. "I can make you feel real good."

"I seriously doubt you or anyone else will make my first time feel good," I scoffed, clutching my shirt tighter against my chest. He was practically pushed up against me. The smell of his body reminded me of the woods with the oak trees and fallen leaves.

"Damn, you're a virgin." He looked at me solemnly, then the look became more intense. It was as if I was even more important to him than previously thought. "I was sure you weren't because you were friends with Hale."

"I am, ass!" That was when Rosalie's cryptic graffiti hit me. "Are you the one Rose was in love with?"

"Me? Where the hell did you hear that lie?" His face wrinkled up in disgust. "I would never touch that girl! She probably was riddled with diseases."

"You never slept with her?"

"No, I never did." He tried to reassure me. All of a sudden, he pulled me toward him. Edward's lips brushed my forehead. He looked at my bandaged arm. "I need to get Uncle Carl to look at this."

I stepped on his foot causing Edward to cringe and then chuckle. I glanced at the wound with a frown. The butterfly was probably due to the trauma I felt at discovering Rosalie; my subconscious was punishing me. "It doesn't need your quack of an uncle to look at it."

"Uncle Carl is a pompous bitch, but he's a good doctor," Edward stated, taking my skepticism in stride. "I'll get you to trust me. Tonight, I'll take you to Wolf Den after we see Carl. You need the truth. Get to the showers, honey!"

My mouth dropped open. He was the most confusing person on the planet. One moment he was infuriating and the next sweet. He patted me on the ass before jogging out of the locker room. Infuriating, it is.

I stumbled into the showers as I stripped off the rest of my clothing. The blue and tan tiles formed a dark cocoon around me as the lights flickered overhead. The water was warm as I stepped into the stream coming out of the shower head. The heat of it coursed down my bare skin.

_You__'__re mine! _The voice surrounded me like the steam from the shower. Ghostly, cold fingers began to stroke my arms.

I was going insane.

My father walked into the bathroom last night when I screamed at the bloody message on my mirror, but the blood had vanished. I had imagined the whole thing. I had blamed a nonexistent spider. As Dad searched under the sink, I covered my bloody butterfly tattoo with a towel. The shaking my body was doing couldn't be stopped.

I promised to make an appointment with Dr. Murdock to stop his worried eyes from boring into me as if he was waiting for me to break into a million pieces like a glass vase. However, there was no way I was talking to her. Dr. Murdock would probably stink of patchouli and make me beat on a damn tom-tom.

The cold caresses were traveling down my breasts and continuing to my lower body causing me to shudder.

_My girl, always and forever; you will be mine. _

The sensation was becoming more insistent, the intensity more pronounced, and it was if I was being seduced by a spirit. It was highly unwanted.

"No!" I yelled, taking my hands and ineffectually trying to brush the chilly sensation from my stomach.

_You__'__re mine, bitch!_ The icy fingers turned to sharp blades that dug into my hips as the water turned ice cold.

I jumped out and pulled my towel around myself tightly as I stumbled backward into a wall across from the shower stalls. My whole body was shivering from cold and fear.

"Isabella, Isabella, Isabella!" A voice sung from the bathroom area of the locker room. There was the sound of water running from one of the faucets. "Come here, Isabella!"

As if I was being pulled by a magnet, I walked slowly toward the feminine voice. It continued to sing my name, and I whispered in shock when I discovered the singer. "Janie, what are you doing?"

Standing before me, stark naked with her blonde hair sopping wet, was Jane Wyatt, holding a hairdryer. Her eyes were vacant, and the smile on her face was malicious. She took her empty hand and stroked it down her body. Jane cocked her head to the side and said in a husky voice, "She would never give me a chance in hell. You know how it is, girl?"

The way Jane stretched out the word 'girl' to several syllables reminded me eerily of Michael Newton.

"Jane, why don't we get you dressed?" I gently suggested. I watched as the water from the sink began to overflow onto the floor. Somehow, Jane had clogged it.

Jane snorted and glanced in the mirror. "I'm enjoying the view, girl. She wouldn't be with me in life, but she sure as hell will be in death."

"Move away from the sink, Jane, and let's go talk out of the bathroom." I moved closer to her.

"I'm not fucking Jane, you little bitch!" she roared and turned on the hairdryer.

I heard footsteps behind me and heard Ms. Cora say to Jane, "I need you to get dressed, Miss Wyatt."

Jane began to cackle loudly and wave the hairdryer over the sink tauntingly. Ms. Cora moved me behind her back and said more forcibly, "Jane, turn that off and come here."

"Sayonara, bitches!" Jane plunged the hairdryer into the sink with her hand still attached.

I watched in horror as my old friend began to convulse violently. All of a sudden, she stilled and removed her hand from the sink. Jane gave us a smile, all her teeth had turned black, and she collapsed onto the floor with her large eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling.

Ms. Cora grabbed onto me and yelled for help. I just clutched her in shock as I continued to take in another dead body before me. It would never end.  
_  
_I was gently taken away from Ms. Cora. My mind was trying to desperately shut itself off, and I couldn't even comprehend I was being led out of the room.

"I'll take her home, Ms. Cora," Edward stated. The woodsy smell he emitted was an odd comfort.

"The police will want—" she started to say weakly. The teacher was clutching her chest and staring at Jane's remains.

"Her dad's a police officer, Ms. Cora. She doesn't need to be here," he explained, his tone was not one to be messed with. She let us go without another complaint.

Back in a locker room, Edward pulled a large Fork's High sweatshirt over my head and shimmied the towel away from my body. He was surprisingly respectful and gentle, without one sexual joke thrown in. I looked down at myself. The sweatshirt was so large it looked like a dress.

"I like you in my clothes," he said quietly. "We need to get out of here."

"You're taking me to my dad?" I asked as Edward wrapped an arm around my waist to help me outside to the main gym. I ignored all the eyes of our classmates staring at us.

"No, sweetheart, I'm taking you to Carl, and then we are off to the Wolf Den. Something terrible is happening and you, honey, are the fucking key." He squeezed me tightly to his side. "I don't think Jane is going to be the last casualty of this mess."

Sadly, I knew he was correct.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Let's keep going down the rabbit hole, shall we?**

**Big thanks to Alice's White Rabbit for her Beta magic. She is truly one of the nicest women in this fandom.**

**Also thank you all for reading!**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 4

Dr. Carlisle Cullen's cabin was near the railroad tracks on the outskirts of town. The dirt road that led to the cabin was littered with empty beer cans, cigarettes butts, and the occasional condom next to a dirty candy bar wrapper. I had heard tales of parties out this way that the stoner kids threw. My father was often called to break up these parties after Heidi Mallone was hit head-on by a freight train at one of these drug festivities.

I, myself, never found any need to be in this part of town. It seemed to be a place where one goes to escape but would just find themselves in a new trap.

I continued to stare at the barren surroundings out the window of Edward's dingy Mustang; the sun seemed to lose its shine in a place like this. Edward's woolen pea coat, that was now wrapped around me like a cocoon, couldn't stop the chill that permeated through to my core.

Edward's car had cherry red seats that were ripped and stained with substances that were of questionable origin. There was a crack in the windshield that marred the glass, making the road before us look fractured. It reflected the feelings that were fighting inside me.

There was a hand on my knee. The fingers traveled upward. "We'll get you fixed up soon, sweetheart. We only have a couple more minutes to Carl's house."

I whipped my head to stare at his grinning face, green eyes lit with amusement. Pushing his hand off, I spat, "Boundaries, jackass!"

My words didn't faze him in the least. His smile just grew larger.

"I like you in that shirt of mine. Never a big one for school spirit and shit, but I'm glad you're the one wearing it." He gave a lingering gaze to my legs, which I was desperately attempting to cover and then turned his eyes back to the road. "Almost like you're my girl."

"Never going to happen, buddy."

The best bet was to ignore him, so I closed my eyes. Unfortunately, the visions that popped into my mind were long swinging legs hanging from the rafters, a torso crushed by large pieces of steal and shattered glass, and poor Jane's lifeless body lying in a puddle. My body shook no matter how hard I tried to calm down.

"Hey, hey now, girl, you need to relax!" Edward had pulled over. Unlatching my seatbelt, he pulled me into his chest. The warmth I felt made me relax for a moment. For a brief moment, I felt cherished by this beautiful, dangerous boy. "You're safe with me, Bella Swan."

"I would never describe you as safe, Cullen." I pulled away. Edward was trouble; I always needed to remember that. "I'm fine."

His eye roll at me was exaggerated. "You're shaking like a leaf, sweetheart. I call bullshit on your bravado. You like to play the tough girl, but you are just a scared baby with all this shit being thrown at you."

"I've seen three dead bodies in the last month. There's just random bad luck and then there's whatever evil is going on right now." I leaned my head back against the headrest and sighed before I added, "I am brave. I'm also not a fool. If this is some sort of game, asshole, then I suggest you quit playing it. I have no time to be a conquest."

"What a conquest you would be, swee—"

I put my hand over his mouth. "Don't call me that!"

His tongue made my palm wet with long, wet strokes. I pulled away at the sensation.

"Aww, sweetheart, it's a term of endearment! It was a toss-up with 'kitten', but you are so sweet. It's just like when you call me 'asshole'," he teased. Edward stared at me, waiting for my next move. Everything that happened between us was like a game of chess. I moved and he countered, but I could never find a way to best him.

"Take me home," I whispered.

Home. I wanted it so badly I could taste it. The dry air that surrounded me year round. The way the sun would almost always kiss my face as I walked in the warm sun to school where Sarah and Karen would be waiting as they giggled over the boys sitting in the quad. The tiny garden where my mother would try to bolster her plants into growing healthy and strong.

That home was gone now. It disappeared as the light in my mother's eyes did when that tractor trailer plowed into her Prius. I wiped away a stray tear at the memory.

The expression on Edward's face turned solemn. "I was just joking around, Bella. I make jokes when things get stressful. Please stop crying."

"One tear doesn't exactly shout out a weeping, hysterical female," I deflected. "Char . . . My dad needs me to talk to him."

Edward started to open his door and gave me a wink as he got out. "Our naughty gym teacher will cover for ya, sweetheart."

My mouth dropped open and my mind immediately went to Edward and Ms. Cora having sex. He was the most annoying person ever born, but in my gut, the idea of him with her made my stomach upset.

The passenger door swung open, and Edward held out his hand. "Get that disgusted look off your face, sweetheart. I didn't have sex with Susie Cora. That would have been that douche James, and Royce got it all on tape. He's practicing to be a director."

I didn't move an inch out of the seat. "Your peeping Tom buddy is secretly filming sex acts without the knowledge of the participants. That's illegal!"

"You have a skewed way of looking at the world, pretty girl, because I can tell you those that shine the brightest on the outside are black as tar on the inside. Those of us who have dirt under our fingernails with actions that can be considered questionable are some of the good ones. We do what we have to just to survive." He had bent his head into the door to speak, and his mouth was precariously close to mine. I took in a ragged breath as his lips moved closer to my mouth. I wanted to feel the harsh way they would brush against mine. The way our breath would mingle and tongues would clash together. Instead, Edward pulled me out and our bodies pressed together. "Say porn again, Bella. I love the way it comes out of that sexy, little mouth."

The spell was broken. Once again, I wanted to punch him in the nose.

He let me go with a chuckle and motioned me toward a cabin. "Welcome to Casa Cullen! The decor might be somewhat lacking but the company can't be beat."

Somewhat lacking was an accurate description. The cabin itself was large, the wood dark and covered in moss with a wraparound porch that held a couple of rocking chairs. There was a small, filthy, pink, children's plastic picnic bench covered in beer cans sitting between the rocking chairs. The yard leading up to the house was covered in uncut grass and discarded children's toys. Balls that had lost most of their air lay useless in the grass. A few mangled dolls with knotted blonde hair and missing eyes were thrown about, and a teddy bear was ripped to shreds with its stuffing floating through the air like snow.

"This place looks like the massacre of the mischief toys from that Rudolph Christmas special," I whispered.

Edward, of course, heard me and started laughing. "Those are just Tilly's toys. She plays rough."

I had no idea who this Tilly was but I imagined she was a possible sister, cousin, or future serial killer that Edward picked up on the side of the road. I was looking for a small red-headed girl with a knife when I heard a vicious growl that came from a beast that wandered out to the front of the house.

"Tilly, how are ya, girl?" Edward smiled at the Rottweiler covered in brown and black fur. She would have been beautiful if it wasn't for the way she was barking at them. "Don't worry about Tilly. She's a lamb or at least a complete pussy cat."

"Bullshit, Cullen. That dog might be the devil and you just wanted to say pussy." It just popped out of my mouth without thought making Edward smirk and pull me closer to his side.

"That's the reason I've always liked you. Even around Hale, you always had some snarky comment. I knew there was more to you. Plus, you have a great rack." Before I could complain, he continued, "Stay close, sweetheart, because Tilly is acting feisty."

I followed his lead because that animal was immediately nipping at his ankles as we tried to get inside. Edward used his leg to try to gently move her away, but she was persistent. When we finally made it inside, and he shut the door in the dog's face, Edward grinned at me. "What did I tell you? She's a little lamb."

"A demonic one." I looked around at my surroundings and it added to my confusion at what I observed outside. "Your uncle is the same doctor that works at the ER at Fork's General, right? Are you certain he lives here because I'm thinking you might be delusional?"

The room was a wreck. There were piles of newspapers in the corners. More empty beers were littering the coffee table with ash trays filled with cigarette butts. The tan sectional couch was covered in old tie-dyed beach towels and _Playboy_ magazines. I looked around to see the posters of The Grateful Dead, Phish and other miscellaneous jam bands that were unfamiliar to me.

I felt cold, wet glass rub against my back, and when I twisted around, Edward held out a beer. "What can I say? Student loans for medical school are a bitch. Carl does what he can. Have a drink, Bella. You need it."

Taking the cool bottle from his hand, I didn't think twice about taking a swig. If today didn't warrant a beer then nothing would. Of course, my dad was going to promptly kill me for the offense, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

"Well all right, all right, Eddie, what sweet thing did you bring over to meet your Uncle Carlisle?" A man wearing a pair of blue boxers and a floral robe that didn't cover his bare chest came wandering out from one of the rooms. He was handsome with his ruffled ash blond hair, but his bloodshot eyes dimmed his blue eyes. Edward's uncle was as high as a kite.

"Carl, knock it off. You're making Bella here uncomfortable. I need you to take a look at her arm. She had a hack give her a tattoo and it's getting infected. Her dad can't find out." Edward pulled his warm coat from my body. The warmth and musky smell faded away and all the tension came back into me. He pulled up my sleeve to show his uncle. "I need to you to put on some clothes and stitch her up. We have places to be."

Dr. Cullen ignored him and pulled my arm closer to inspect the wound. "Damn, little butterfly girl, who did this to you? Shit, girl, you need antibiotics to fight the infection."

There was no way I was letting this stoner near me with a needle and thread. I would be lucky to even have an arm after he was done with me. The man was barely staying upright.

"I think I'll just see Dr. Malloy over at the hospital. I don't think you look like you feel up for any surgery this evening." I slowly stepped backward.

"Bella, Dr. Chad Malloy is a quack. He beds the nurses and overbills patients to get more money from them. I'll take care of you and no need for payment because I'm like Jesus, baby, and work miracles." The doctor spun around like he was flying and his colorful robe flew in the air. I felt like when I was a little girl and watched a community theater production of _Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat _with my mother. All of a sudden, he stopped and sniffed the air, making a horrible face as a chemical smell filled the air. "Damn it, Brady messed up the batch! Brady, turn down the damn beakers!"

I immediately hit Edward in the arm. "You took me to a meth lab! What the hell is wrong with you? My father is the chief of police, asshole!"

Dr. Cullen didn't take the news well. He grabbed Edward by the collar; the once relaxed eyes becoming fierce as he began to shake his nephew and push him against a wall. A shelf full of vases rattled and one fell to the floor. It shattered and the ground was covered in porcelain and little baggies of pills. The doctor snarled, "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you? You brought the top pig's daughter to the operation! Eddie, you ruined everything!"

The quirky stoner was now positively rabid and frightening. I was almost sure he would pull something sharp out of the big pocket of his robe and kill us both.

"Carl, she's cool. I swear on my dad. She will keep her mouth shut." Edward's voice was eerily calm as if he had dealt with an occurrence like this before. "She's my girl, Carl. You can trust her. I do."

"That girl can ruin everything, Edward! Everything!" Dr. Cullen didn't loosen his grip on Edward. "You fucked up, kid!"

The atmosphere in the room was thick with the tension, and I didn't know what Dr. Cullen would do. I wanted to run. After all the lunacy that I had to witness this last month, this was the last thing I needed to deal with. Except there was a flash of fear that momentary appeared on Edward's face, and I knew I couldn't leave him to deal with his unstable uncle.

I carefully walked over to Dr. Cullen and gently tapped him on the shoulder. "I won't tell my father anything, sir. I —"

The doctor whipped his head toward me with dark eyes. My words died as they left my tongue.

"Bella, I need you to go and sit on the couch. It's fine. Uncle Carl, you know she won't say anything. She needs your help. Do you think a girl who gets a tat like that is a daddy's girl?" Edward's tone was soothing, but his eyes were wary.

"You sure, Eddie?" Dr. Cullen asked. He slowly let Edward go and turned fully toward me as I stumbled backward toward the couch. "You going to be good, Bella Swan?"

"Yes," I promised. He was not a person I wanted to cross.

The man's tight lipped frown burst into a smile so bright it would melt a crayon. "Great! I'll just check on Brady and get my medical bag. Stitch you up and send you on your date with Eddie!"

I watched as he headed toward the basement. I glanced over at Edward. "I _really_ shouldn't be here."

His face was still somber. "Carlisle isn't always like that. I swear it. Sober Carlisle is a smart doctor, and he creates great things. That stuff he's working on downstairs is for cancer research, but to fund it, he sells some designer drugs that are pretty much fake drugs."

"Placebos?"

"No, they work but are less dangerous. Your dad will still shut it down if he finds out." Edward ran his fingers through his hair. "He wasn't going to hurt me or you. The weed usually chills him out more. It stops the demons."

My heart stops at Edward's words. Demons. What if Dr. Cullen knew what was happening to me?

"He sees and hear things too?" I grabbed Edward's arm.

"No." His eyes narrowed at me. "Carl has seen a lot of blood, pain, and death in the E.R. The weed turns off the memories. What are you seeing, Bella?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I looked at my toes. It wasn't real. I was insane.

"My, oh my, princess likes to smoke up?" Alice Brandon slurred from the doorway Dr. Cullen had originally come through when we arrived. She was a vision in ripped, striped tights and a macabre crinoline baby doll dress. "What the hell are you thinking, Edward?"

"Did you know reading is fundamental, math is the key to our future, and school is cool, Alice? You should probably get your ass back to high school," Edward said in annoyance. "Get out of here."

"Whatever, pot. Kettle here thinks you are full of shit." Alice leaned forward and looked me up and down. "Nice look, Swanie. You slumming it and fucking, Cullen?"

I had absolutely enough of Alice Brandon to last me a million lifetimes.

"No, bitch, I didn't have sex with Edward," I snapped. "I did, however, watch a girl get electrocuted today and die. Why don't you back the fuck off, you wannabe Goth girl?"

Alice's expression changed to a look of grudging respect, and she screamed into the room. "Wake up, Jasper! There's another dead kid!"

The shirtless blond boy, jeans hung down low on his hips, stumbled next to his girlfriend and rubbed his head. "Damn. You guys wanna hit?"

"Shush, baby," Alice admonished, placing her hand on Jasper's mouth. "Did you bring her here to get our friend Mary Jane to help her relax, Edward?"

"Carl's helping her out then we're going to head to the Wolf Den," Edward explained. He took my arm and led me toward a hallway. "Let's wait for Carl in my room."

Alice stomped after us. The sound of her combat boots striking the floor echoed off the walls. They sounded like a drumbeat that was pounding in my brain.

She called after us. "You can't take her there! They'll eat her alive!"

"Bella needs to see the truth about her." Edward kept walking with me in tow.

"About who?" She was a persistent pain in the ass.

I stopped abruptly, making Edward stumble. "Rosalie Hale is who Edward thinks I need to see the truth about. I don't know why, but I think he's right."

The truth could be powerful was something my mother instilled in me when I was very young. I hoped perhaps the truth could lead me to being free from whatever was haunting me.

"She's dead, princess. You can't bring her back," Alice pointed out.

I shook my head. "I don't want her to come back. I want Rose to stay away."

Edward's fingers linked to mine.

"Shit. You need back-up then if you're heading to the den. Also pants." She gave a snort. "I have an extra pair of leggings in my backpack."

"Are they ripped?" I smirked at her.

"Princess, that's the only way I roll."

XXXXXX

I was slightly drunk on whiskey, and my arm throbbed from the stitches Dr. Cullen had put into the butterfly. The black thread on my arm made it look even more pronounced.

There was a bookshelf in Edward's room that was filled with the classics. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the room with the scattered pieces of clothing thrown about. Posters of bikini-clad models hung over his unmade bed. A baseball rested in a glove on the dresser. It was the space of a boy on the cusp of being a man.

My finger stroked a paperback copy of _Pride and Prejudice._ I pulled it out in surprise. It was a little piece of femininity in a sea of testosterone that was Hemingway, Melville, and King.

I pointed out, slightly impressed, "You're a reader."

"I dabble, sweetheart."

"I wouldn't have taken you for an Austen fan." I flipped through the pages.

He gave a small chuckle. "I saw you reading it in the cafeteria on your first day during lunch. Sitting all alone in the corner near the windows and completely engrossed by that book. I just wanted to see what captivated you."

I watched him change his shirt through his reflection in the mirror with my mouth open. Edward was an enigma. I couldn't figure him out, and I certainly couldn't figure out my own mind when it came to him. The way he looked at this moment, with his muscles flexing and cross tattoo on his back, made me want to reach out and touch his skin. Instead, I looked down at the cover of the book. The girls illustrated on the cover harkened back to days of old with their silk dresses and hair pulled back with soft tendrils framing their faces. This book was one I loved to my very core.

"We can order a pizza before we go," he suggested as he tugged a worn _Rolling Stones_ tee over his head. "You can wear those clothes on the bed. Can I help you in them?"

The mischievous glint returned to his eyes as he wiggled his eyebrows. He was once again a tease.

I tried to ignore him, his bed, and the way I was drawn to him. I picked up a blue oxford that was folded on Alice's ripped leggings. A striped tie was placed next to it so I could make a belt. "One of your uncle's work shirts?"

I felt Edward come behind me, his hot breath on my neck. "It's mine."

"Oh."

"I wore it to my parents' funeral." His lips ghosted over my ear. "You aren't the only one being haunted, sweetheart."


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: A giant thank you to Alice's White Rabbit for fixing this up! Also, thanks to all of you for reading!**

**Boo! **

Chapter 5

Edward Cullen saw dead people.

Maybe. I hoped not, because if that was the case then everything I was witnessing was not some horrible luck. It was something far more nefarious, and I would much prefer being crazy.

I wanted to question him further. Was this just his way of dealing with having dead parents? His way of coping was to imagine them talking to him? That would make so much more sense than having the dead following you around.

Unfortunately, before I could question him further, Alice burst through the door to Edward's bedroom to announce the arrival of greasy pizza for dinner.

Carlisle had called my father and woven some tale about me being in shock. My father was trying to deal with what was considered Jane's suicide and welcomed the doctor's help. If dear old Dad knew the truth about Carlisle Cullen, his head would spin.

A couple hours later, I was sitting in the front seat next to Edward and watching the trees whiz past as the sun dipped down below the horizon. The winter jacket I wore was Edward's and I snuggled into it as I tried to find some warmth. I imagined Alice was whispering sweet nothings into Jasper's ear. I didn't plan on looking back to find out.

"What are you thinking about, Bella?" Edward questioned as he stared at the road ahead. The speed he was driving was frighteningly quick. He was a man on a mission.

I was thinking that death was following me.

I glanced at him. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt. "That's not safe, Edward."

The last thing I needed was a collision with a tree and Edward sailing out the windshield.

"No worries, girl. We're here." The car began to slow. "Don't change the subject. What's on your mind?"

He was trying to uncover my secrets too.

"Jane." We were pulling into the gravel parking lot. I hadn't even noticed that we had reached our destination. There was the skull of a dead dog by the side of the road. Its empty eye sockets and skinless bone made me shudder. It felt like foreshadowing.

"All the death must have done a number on her," he stated. Edward still wouldn't look at me. His expression was pensive.

I resumed staring at the skull and it felt like it was staring right back.

Alice placed her chin on the side of my seat. "She wasn't the type. Too happy all the fucking time."

"It wasn't her," I muttered. "It wasn't fucking her at all."

I could feel all their eyes on me. All was quiet for several minutes, and a chill went through me.

"We need to go in," Edward finally said, breaking the silence. "Al and Jasper, it's gotten a lot rougher in there. I need everyone to stick close."

"Man, it's just a bar." Jasper was picking his nose in the backseat. "We used to go in there plenty when old Billy owned it. He never checked IDs."

"That was then. Aro owns it now. I'm taking Bella upstairs. Jake won't even go up there and his dad used to own the place." Edward leaned over me and unbuckled my seatbelt. "I'm not joking about staying with me. Hold on to my arm and don't say anything. I do the talking."

Alice bopped Edward on the head with her fist. "I don't think so, shithead."

"What the hell was that for?" Edward turned to Alice with a glare.

"There is no way you are taking her up there by yourself, Ed." She pulled a lock of my hair. "I've heard shit from Royce. Aro is a wolf and will eat Little Red Riding Hood right up."

"Give us twenty minutes, Al. If we don't come down by then, you call Chief Swan," Edward instructed. He turned to me and kissed me quickly. Before I could protest, he said, "That's for luck. I need all I can get in there."

I got out of the car and stared at the brick building in front of me. There was a tattered, blue awning over the front door that read, _The Wolf Den_. The windows were covered by thick, maroon curtains so the outside could not see whatever wrongdoings were happening behind them. It hit me that I really didn't want to know the truth behind those walls. I wanted more blissful ignorance.

I heard the trunk of the car slam shut. Edward came to my side carrying a large paper bag. It was from the local grocery store but I was certain there would be no groceries found in there.

He saw my quizzical look and explained. "Making a delivery for Carlisle. It will get us in there without too many questions."

"What does any of this have to do with Rose? I'm not allowed to ask questions and—" I didn't want to go in that bar. The things that made me who I was were simple. I was the good kid who always remembered her homework and would volunteer at the nursing home. Until tonight, I had never drank alcohol.

"The answers are inside, if you just look." Edward took my hand and pulled me toward the door quickly. Alice and Jasper were rushing behind us as they tried to catch up. The door swung open and a dirty looking man wearing an American flag bandana scowled at us. He clutched a beer bottle and, by any indication of the beer belly poking out of tank top, he clearly didn't need any more alcohol. Edward greeted him as he pulled me tightly to his side. "Hey, Marcus! What's up, man?"

"Delivery, kid?" The man looked at the bag and then at me. He licked his lips, and it struck me that his tongue looked like a snake's. "Who's the girl? Brought Aro a present?"

"Naw, Marcus! This is my bitch," Edward explained with a nasty look. I gasped as he squeezed my breast through the coat. "This girl is flexible like you wouldn't believe."

Edward was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

"Wanna share? I have a break coming up." The man looked like he was going to grab me and drag me somewhere horrible. It was frightening.

"I don't share this one," Edward hissed. I glanced back at Jasper and Alice. I noticed that the stoner had a tight grasp on his girlfriend. I wasn't the only one finding this exchange disconcerting.

Marcus threw his hands up in the air. "No need to get pissed, kid! I get it! Hot pussy is hard to find now that Rosie's gone. I tell you, man, that is a waste of a good fuck. You hit that shit?"

I froze. Rosalie had sex with him. It didn't make any sense.

"Of course, Marcus. I would pass up a girl that tight. I'll tell you what though. My girl here is even better." Edward gave my ear a bite. It stung.

Marcus laughed. "Go on in with your friends, kid. Before you bring Aro his fix, go tell Jacob to chill the fuck out. Leah is putting on a show upstairs, and your buddy is freaking the fuck out. That's the way a person gets killed. You got me, Cullen?"

"Yeah. I'll take care of it." Edward motioned his head at Jasper, and we headed in.

I looked at Alice, who had lost all her bravado. She was scared, just like me.

"What I was saying to Marcus was bullshit, pretty girl. This is the part I play here, okay? I promise this isn't our truth." Edward rubbed his nose in my hair. "I promise with everything I've got."

The bar was nearly empty, but sitting on a stool was a visibly upset Jacob Black, who Royce King was attempting to calm down. I never had any issues with Jacob. In fact, the guy seemed fairly low-key in comparison to the hotheaded Royce. Both boys had jet-black hair, but Jacob's fell down his back in waves while Royce wore his in a crew cut. Jake was slamming the bar with his fists.

"You got to calm down, Jake," Edward stated as he placed a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Aro will blow your brains out."

"That's what been telling him, Ed!" Royce exclaimed. "But, man, Leah was acting all sorts of weird."

Edward's face became stone. "Bella and I will get her out of there."

"You can't bring Swan up there." Jake appeared to deflate before my eyes. The anger just turned to sadness. "There's something evil happening up there. Dad says that whatever is happening was seen before in the ancient stories. Someone unleashed the demons."

"Your dad is an alcoholic who's stuck in a wheelchair. He don't know shit," Edward disagreed, but to me his words sounded untrue. He knew more than he was letting on. "Come on, Bella."

He led me up a staircase, and the first room we entered was a large space that had red walls. There was a group of men hollering at a naked girl, who was trying to dance unsuccessfully on a stripper pole in the middle of the room. It was Leah Clearwater.

Leah was a quiet girl who played basketball and was normally clad in hoodie sweatshirts and athletic pants. Her father, Harry Clearwater, was my father's deputy. Only her relationship with Jacob was considered surprising. He hung around with the school troublemakers, and she was a straight A student. This girl in front of me was stoned out of her mind. It was another mystery in this fucked up mess.

"Oh my God, Edward! She's not in her right mind!" I gasped. "Was that what happened to Rose?"

"No. Rose is the one who usually facilitated this. She brought the girls here to do this. Sometimes, if Aro did what she wanted then she would give him a private show," he explained. "Things aren't always what they seem."

I was about to question him further when an awful odor hit me. "Is that sulfur?"

"Welcome to hell, baby." Edward led me toward Aro. His hand clutched mine tightly with our fingers intertwined. "I have a special delivery for you."

He handed the paper bag to Aro. The man emitted a high-pitched giggle. He was clearly insane.

"Thank you, Edward my boy!" Aro Volturi sat on an easy chair with his feet up. A naked girl I had never seen before sat on the man's lap. His hair was black and stringy, and there was a wickedness to his glacier eyes. He pulled the girl's face toward his and licked up her face. "Bring Daddy a vodka, Gianna. I see you brought a new friend to meet me! Isabella Swan, Rosie told me so much about you! All our lovely Rosie liked to do was titter on about her darling Isabella! This is a pleasure!"

Oh God, he knew me. The giggling monster grabbed my hand and kissed my wrist. It felt like I was burned by an iron. His kindness was a farce. The sulfur smell was radiating off of him.

"Carl says this batch is a gift." Edward pulled my free hand away and shielded me with his body. I remained silent as he requested. It seemed imperative at this moment to stay quiet and still. "We need to take Leah downstairs."

"Oh no! I had such lovely plans for the lovely Leah!" The man actually pouted. I knew in my very core that his plans for Leah would not be lovely at all. "Why don't you two join us?"

Edward flashed him a bright smile. It didn't reach his eyes. "That does sound great, but Leah looks like she can barely stand. Perhaps you should continue your plans with Gianna. She seems game."

"True, my boy. I prefer my girls lively. So the four of—"

Edward cut him off. "Leah's dad is looking for her. That's why we need to get her home. The Chief mentioned it to Bella. We need to get her cleaned up before her dad sees her. You don't want the cops here."

Aro clapped with narrowed eyes. "No indeed! You two are true friends! Let our Leah finish her dance and you can take her with you. Enjoy a drink at the bar while you wait."

Instead, he led me into a dark corner. "That was fucking close. Shit! What the hell did they do to Leah?"

"That man is the villain! He's the one causing all of this destruction," I whispered as I glanced at the man. He was staring at us with a smirk.

"He helped. I think. You were at the real villain's funeral. She is still orchestrating everything." Edward looked tiredly at me. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I don't have all the answers but I will help you find them."

"All the unexplained things happening to me are real then?" I closed my eyes and opened them up. It wasn't a dream.

Before Edward could answer, I saw Emmett and Garrett walk out of a nearby room laughing. Half-dressed women clung to them with Jessica walking behind them counting a wad of cash. I heard Emmett's booming voice. "It is always a pleasure, Tanya."

The woman giggled in response, and I let out a gasp. Edward pushed me against the wall and kissed me hard. His hands traveled under my coat and rubbed against me. He pulled away slightly and whispered into my mouth, "Sorry."

"Come back soon, children!" Aro said to the group. They were all involved in this in some way.

"Edward, you and your enchanting friend can take Leah now!" Aro called out.

We moved away and Edward and I rushed toward Leah. She was slumped around the pole in a deep slumber.

"Where are her clothes?" I said quietly.

It wasn't quiet enough.

"Edward, your Bella has the voice of the nightingale. I bet she sings so very sweet," Aro announced loudly. "Leah's clothes are in the corner."

Emmett was still in the doorway and stared at me. He mouthed in my direction, "I'm coming for you. You'll dance for me, baby."

The horror I was feeling seemed to be only the beginning.

XXXXXX

I woke up on the couch as the sun streamed in through the curtains. My body was on top of Edward's with his one arm wrapped around my waist. The other hand was wrapped into my hair. He was mumbling disjointed words in his sleep.

Yesterday was another nightmare. We had gotten Leah back into the safety of Jacob's arms. She was fast asleep and could give us no answers about how she ended up in the state we found her. After we dropped off Alice and Jasper at his house, I begged for Edward to take me home.

_Edward walked me in, and once we got into the living room, I collapsed into his arms._

"_I don__'__t want to die,__"__I admitted as I clung to him. __"__She__'__s coming for me.__"_

"_I__'__m not going to let anything happen to you.__"__He took my chin into his hands so I would look at him. __"__I promised them I would protect you.__"_

"_Promised who?__"__I tried to stop the tears from coming. I was finally falling apart. _

_Edward wiped them away from my eyes. __"__My parents. They visit me in my dreams now. They died so long ago and the memories of them faded, but now I see them every night. It sounds crazy, but they told me about you.__"_

"_Why me?__"__I shook my head. __"__This makes no sense.__"_

"_They said that you were my future and I believe them. Now more than ever.__"__He rubbed my lips with his thumb. _

_He felt so safe to me. _

"_Make me forget,__"__I pleaded. _

"_Bella, no__—"__He started to move away. _

_I grabbed his shirt and stared into his tormented eyes. __"__Just kiss me, Edward. Please.__"_

"_As you wish.__"_

_His mouth met mine and we fell back onto the kiss. I barely noticed a lamp that was located across the room fall to the floor and break. I ignored it and kept on kissing him. It felt wonderful, but at the same time, I felt like something was trying to push into my brain. There was muffled screaming. Edward was keeping the monster at bay._

_It could have been mere minutes or a couple hours of intimacy between us, but at some point, slumber came to us both._

"Bella, I need to talk to you." I looked away from Edward's sleeping face to see my father staring at us from across the room. He sat in my grandmother's rocking chair with the broken glass shards surrounding his feet. Dad rocked back and forth with a somber expression.

"It's not what it looks like, Daddy!" I pushed up from Edward's chest.

Edward made a weird face and his eyes opened and looked around in confusion. He smiled at me until he noticed the look on my face and saw my father. "Mr. . . . I mean, Chief Swan, good morning and—"

"Okay. I don't—" My father just shook his head at a thought. "Listen, I have to tell you something."

"Did you find something out about Jane?" Maybe there was a clue to what was happening.

"No, honey, it's Angela." My father walked over, knelt by the couch, and took my hands. "She's dead. They found her decapitated by the ravine."


End file.
